Ichthys pipeline ready for gas

The offshore and onshore sections of the INPEX-led Ichthys LNG Project’s 890 kilometre gas export pipeline were safely welded together in Darwin today.

Joining the two pipeline sections—882 kilometres offshore and eight kilometres onshore—means the pipeline is now ready to deliver gas from the offshore Ichthys Field to the Project’s onshore facilities at Bladin Point near Darwin for processing.

The 42-inch diameter pipeline is the longest subsea pipeline in the southern hemisphere and the third longest subsea pipeline in the world.

“We are very pleased with the overall safety performance during the pipeline manufacturing, construction and installation processes spanning more than four years,” Ichthys Project Managing Director Mr Bon said.

“Building the pipeline involved multiple movements of 73,000 individual 42 inch diameter, concrete coated pipe joints, with each pipe joint weighing approximately 26 tonnes.”

To protect workers from injuries associated with lifting, INPEX used innovative automated lifting equipment at the pipe fabrication and coating yards, and offshore installation vessels utilised state-of-the-art pipe joint handling systems.

“Today’s milestone means we are one step closer to physically connecting our onshore plant near Darwin to our offshore facilities which will be permanently moored in the Ichthys Field for the 40-year life of the Project,” Mr Bon said.

Ends